Not Ready For a Daily Newspaper Column

Folks, I've hit a bit of dry patch with this blog.

My five regular readers may have noticed that my daily posts have recently become every-other-day-if-you're-lucky posts, and for that I apologize. What can I say other than that my life is a little uneventful right now. Not to worry: I'm not curled up in bed sucking my thumb until noon every day, but my current routine is, well, routine. And that, my friends, does not an exciting post make.

How in the world do daily newspaper columnists do it? How do they come up with a new topic to write about every day? Has my mind atrophied to the point where I'm at the same mental level as a garden slug? I hope not. I'll need all of my faculties intact in order to determine my dream career.

Speaking of my dream career, one of the things I've been doing these past few days is preparing for my second meeting with my new career coach. I've found her homework assignments to be quite intense, time consuming, and extremely interesting because they're about my various histories (family, social, educational, work, and leisure). What's not to like about that? I truly believe that the process of reviewing the past to before plunging ahead into the future is the most logical path to discovering my new career adventure. I've been told that the process could take anywhere from six to nine months, perhaps longer, but I'm convinced that in the end it will be worth it.

I'll keep you posted.

A Small Smattering of What's On My Mind

• Last night a friend and I saw the new Steve Carell movie, "Dan in Real Life". If you're looking for something light and sweet, this is the movie for you. It was a really nice break from the multitude of post- 9/11 movies that are out right now. I don't know how you feel, but I have no interest in paying to see a movie about something I see for free on the nightly news.

• For the "never done that before and hope I never have to again" list: Coaxing a freaked-out cat out of a 30 foot tree. My next door neighbor, "W", saw the whole thing unfold and told me that Martin, with two big dogs in hot pursuit, ran to the base and didn't stop until he literally ran out of tree. It was a pitiful sight, especially because I could hear Martin crying. Finally after a lot of hand-wringing (because I'd never dealt with a situation quite like this), cursing (because Martin's people are incredibly irresponsible, deadbeat "caretakers" who not only let him run loose without a collar and ID tags but are also rarely home), and brainstorming about possible solutions (my best being walking down the road to the firehouse and sweet-talking the firefighters into helping), Martin s-l-o-w-l-y and carefully shimmied down on his own. Face-first, of course, just for extra drama. He's fine. I, however, needed a beer to settle my nerves

• As regular readers of my blog know, for the last week I've been struggling with an assignment given to me by my new career coach. The challenge is to come up with a list of seven to 10 satisfying activities which I enjoyed doing for the sake of doing rather than just the outcome. It's a tall order, believe me. There are lots of things I've done in which I've enjoyed the outcome but not what had to be done to get there (e.g. learning to water ski, becoming a licensed realtor, doing laundry, washing my dog, making vegetable soup), but thinking of things I've done in which I've also enjoyed the process is so much harder. This is what I have so far: a) as a child playing with my dollhouse and outlining whole communities using crayons; b) as a child making homes for my Fisher-Price people in the sandbox; c) creating mix tapes and CDs; d) baking almost anything; and e) horseback riding. I'm racking my brain for more ideas...

• Happy, happy birthday to my sweet mom. The first thing she said to me after I was born was, "I hope we'll be friends." We definitely are, Mom. I love you.

Can't Think of a Catchy Title (Or Even a Stupid One)

The response to my self-created gig of holding open listings for busy local real estate agents has been impressive. This is the third Sunday in a row that I've been booked for a Sunday open. I hope the streak continues because it is a super-easy way to bring in a little money and stay connected to the real estate scene in a manner that suits me. I had an agent ask if I were available to take a couple of her buyers out for an afternoon and I couldn't say "no, thanks" fast enough. I was flattered that the agent thought to ask me, but at this moment I can't think of anything less appealing than showing property. It is too much work and too little payoff, assuming that the client eventually closes on something. Yep, holding open various listings for favorite local agents is about as involved in the real estate world as I want to be. I'm ready for a change.

Speaking of change, I'm having a terrible time with one of the homework assignments given to me by my new career coach. "P" wants me to list seven experiences or activities in which I find or found enjoyment. If only the result of the activity was enjoyable, it doesn't count. Sound easy? Then for goodness sake, help me!!! I've been thinking about this for a whole week and can only come up with one thing: Playing with my dollhouses as a little girl. I could play for hours, rearranging furniture, using Crayons to outline driveways and roads that stretched from my room into my sister's room, making up scenarios for my dollhouse people and animals, and never get bored. I was always good at solo play (maybe because I was an only child for so many years?) and still enjoy doing my own thing, though I do get lonely sometimes. Anyway, this homework exercise has me stumped and little stressed. The criteria for the activities/ projects are: a) I enjoyed doing it; b) I feel I did it pretty well; c) I feel proud of it (or felt proud at the time); d) it gave me an internal sense of satisfaction; and e) it pleased me at the time. My dollhouse play definitely meets all of the criteria, but I truly can't think of anything else. Remember, the activity itself is what is most important, not the result.

Suggestions from people who know me are welcome (hint, hint).

Deep Thoughts (NOT!!!)

I apologize for having so many "random thought" posts, but it seems to be the way I'm thinking these days. I so need to get a part-time job and bring structure-- and hopefully coherent thoughts-- back into my life. If I haven't chased you off yet, read on:

• The news coverage of the California wildfires is pretty sobering. As was the case during Katrina, many of the victims have lost absolutely everything. Unlike Katrina, I suspect that a good number of these victims have the financial means to begin life anew though it will take an enormous emotional toll. It is a good reminder that in battles between humankind and nature, nature will always reign supreme but hopefully humankind will find the strength to persevere. I don't know about you, but I'm going to update the emergency kit I keep in the trunk of my car.

• Is it wrong that at my age I enjoy the CW show, "Gossip Girl"? The central characters are teenagers. Does it mean that I'm emotionally stunted? Do I really care?

• As soon as the weather turns cool, I become inspired to cook every comfort food recipe I encounter. This is odd because I rarely like to cook anything. Monday afternoon I made absolutely delicious vegetable soup, and this morning I picked up the ingredients to make spicy chili and another batch of slow cooker applesauce. I've even decided upon my next baking adventure, "Sweet Potato Spice Loaf", which sounds a bit like zucchini bread but without the zucchini. Ack! Just thinking about zucchini makes me gag a little. Sweet potatoes are much more to my liking.

• Nobody can wink better than my grandmother. Every time she does it, it helps me to remember what a loving, supportive caretaker she was during my formative years. At age 95 she's a mere shadow of her former self, yet when she winks at me I again see a glimmer of the woman that helped me to become the woman that I am today.

That's all I have for now. Maybe tomorrow I'll be inspired to post in paragraph form. I suppose stranger things have happened. Stay tuned...

A First

This is the scene that greeted me when I walked into my room a few minutes ago. Could Luka be more adorable? This is the first time I've ever seen him so far toward the head of my bed-- usually he sleeps curled in a ball at the foot and only when it is cold outside. Isn't isn't especially chilly today, though it is a bit on the gloomy side. Guess Luka's going to have a lazy day, and I don't need to worry about making my bed anytime soon. Looks like everybody wins.

Happy Birthday, Sis!!!

I can't believe it has been 30 years since my baby sister, E2, came into my life.

It seems like just yesterday I was living large as an only child, soaking up my parents' attention and their every waking thought (tee hee hee!). My wishes were their wishes, my dreams their dreams (are you gagging yet?), until SHE arrived.

Life would never be the same.

As I remember it, for the first month of E2's life our mom made me hold her on a pillow as if she were as fragile as Cinderella's glass slipper. Mom has since told me it only happened once and the reason behind it was that she though E2 would roll right off of my little twig legs. Whatever.

E2 was the cutest baby and for the most part I was proud to be her big sister. I say "for the most part" because it didn't take long for my friends to discover her cuteness, too, and want to come over to our house just to spend time with "the new baby." I'll be honest: That sort of rejection stung my little nine year old pride but in retrospect-- and especially looking at old photos of the little culprit-- I understand it. E2 was roly poly in all the best ways, had a sweet disposition, and most of all was so wanted. I can't imagine a baby being more anticipated than her. And 30 years later, she hasn't disappointed yet. Not even close. My love for her overshadows the time she scratched me with her claw and drew blood (I've no idea what led up to such a violent confrontation) and even the battles we had sharing a bathroom as teens. Being her big sister has been, and will always be, one of the greatest joys of my life.

Happy Birthday, Cutie! I love you with all of my heart.

Weekend Wrap-Up

• It's almost the end of October and most days my very casual wardrobe still consists of a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops. Speaking of flip flops, my sister told me that recently she's been hearing people refer to them as thongs. Whether that's the new trend or not, I just can't bring myself to utter the word "thong". It sounds so nasty. I'd rather date myself and continue to call the cheap, rubber footwear "flip flops" than gross myself out by calling them "thongs". Even seeing the word in print makes me want to take a shower in bleach. Fun fact: My 65 year old father refers to stereos systems as "Victrolas", a word that I believe dates back to the early 20th century. Not even my grandpa-- his father-- can figure out where he came up with that one.

• My entrepreneurial idea to hold Sunday Open Houses for select real estate agents has proven to be a good one. For whatever reason, many sellers seem to believe that the buyer of their home is going to walk through the door during a Sunday open. Most experienced agents know, however, that the statistics don't back up this belief. This is where I come to the rescue. I have the ability to make everyone happy: The seller is pleased because their house is once again open for any and all to peruse regardless of whether they're even in the market to buy and the agent is happy because they don't have to waste their valuable Sunday on a pointless endeavor. There are just so many listings out there it is hard to make yours stand out from the crowd. It is not a good time to be a seller, but it is a great time to be me. Cha-ching!

• Flashing back to my 20th high school reunion a few weeks ago, one of the weekend's souvenirs was a CD of 80's tunes mixed by the husband of a classmate. I'd skimmed through the list of tracks when it was given to us and thought it was pretty lame (nobody is as good as making mix CD/ tapes as I am, of course), but listening to it tonight as I drove Luka around made me change my mind. I've never been a huge fan of Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me with Science" or "Whip It" by Devo, but I must admit that I rolled down the windows, opened the moon roof, and cranked up the old Victrola when Big Country's "In a Big Country" and Duran Duran's "Rio" came on.

• My baby sister's turning 3o tomorrow. It seems like just yesterday I was preparing for the role of "big sis" by carrying a 10 pound bag of potatoes against my shoulder (pretending it was a baby). Happy pre-birthday, E! And remember, ILYN!

Luka's Job

My dog, Luka, believes it is his personal mission to get me out of bed each morning at what he deems to be a reasonable time.

It doesn't matter if it is a weekday or a weekend morning, Luka wants me up and ready for my day (after feeding him, of course) no later than 6:30AM. Most days that isn't a problem. Even though I'm currently not working, I try to stick to my old work timetable of getting up and going to bed around the same times so that I don't waste the days away. Today, however, I woke up with a headache and wanted to go back to bed after feeding him to try to sleep it off. Well, that didn't suit Luka at all. I heard him come into my room and stop next to my bed but I didn't open my eyes. I'm all over the technique of staring at someone until they wake up because my cousins and I did it to our grandma when we spent the night at her house. The moment you open your eyes the gig's up, so I kept my eyes shut tightly. Eventually he got bored and left the room. I must have dozed off for a few minutes because the next thing I heard was a racket in the basement and after shaking off the cobwebs of sleep knew exactly what it was. Last night I put an empty Diet Coke box in Luka's toy basket downstairs (he loves to shred cardboard boxes), he'd found it, and was trying to signal me that he was in the mood to play. Unfortunately, I was in the mood to stay in bed and did for a few more minutes. I knew the sleeping late party was over when Luka started barking inside at some barking dogs outside.

Now that I'm up and have started my day, guess what Luka's doing?

Sleeping, of course.

I'm going to stand next to him and stare.

This and That

• In order to be able to move forward with success and confidence, I think you have to be able to look at your past and see what has worked before and what hasn't. Based on my work with her, my first career coach wasn't a subscriber to this belief. I guess her plan was to help me find a position similar to the one I had in real estate despite my often stated desire to carve out a career in which I can make a difference in someone's world. I expected a career coach to be more broad-minded and to think outside the box. "L" wasn't and didn't, and now she's history. I know my new coach, "P", won't disappoint me.

• Despite my trash-talking of last week's bizarre episode of "Moonlight", I can't stop watching it. Though the vampire part can be terribly hokey-- I could do without the weird eyes, the fangs, and the hissing right before he sinks his teeth into someone-- the relationship between hunky vampire Mick St. John and internet reporter Beth Turner is quite compelling. Does anyone else think that the actress who plays Beth is a dead ringer (both in appearance and voice) for Kate Winslet? It is freaky.

• One of my favorite bloggers, an Air Force officer serving a tour in Afghanistan, is taking a hiatus from his blog while at home for two weeks on leave. Is it wrong that I want him to return to duty so that he can resume his blog? I know it is, but John's writing style and photographs (http://blog.myspace.com/foreignhost ) are so captivating that as soon as I finish one post I can't wait to read the next. I'm addicted and suffering terribly from withdrawls.

• I love it when my dog snores. It makes me smile. He's doing it right now while all stretched out on the thick rug behind me.

• Luka always drinks from the back of the water bowl. I don't know why.

• I really shouldn't have peanut butter or chocolate in my house. Time and time again I've proven that I have little ability to regulate my intake of either. I need to rid my house of them and will... as soon as I smother my bite-sized Milky Way with a spoonful of creamy peanut butter.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I met with a new career coach today. And I like her. A lot. Much more than "L".

"L" is history.

I know I gave the impression that "L" and I had a good meeting on Monday (after I called her out on the carpet for yawning during our meetings, of course), but I decided that it still wouldn't hurt to interview another person for the job just to cover my bases.

It was a good call.

Within five minutes of meeting "P", I knew I was going to terminate my relationship with "L".

In addition to being smart, personable, and having a sense of humor (the last two qualities were sorely lacking in "L"), she actually has a defined process to help clients meet their goals. This process isn't in her head, but is actually spelled out in an informal packet she gave to me for review and reflection. "L" didn't do that. In the words of my friend Gena, "L" made me feel like a "ferret on meth" in that she had me going in so many different directions at once without explaining the reason for doing so. I never felt like she had a plan for me, and for that reason I never had confidence in her ability to help me. Though we've only met once, "P" not only asked a lot of questions about my work, personal, and social histories, but she also demonstrated that she does have a plan. It's going to involve a lot of work on my part-- you wouldn't believe how much homework I have to do before our next meeting-- but I'm more than up for the challenge.

Especially since I'm privy to "the plan".

I Made It All By Myself!

For whatever reason, the only time of year that I'm consistently so inclined to cook is autumn. It must have something to do with it getting cooler outside (surely it will feel like autumn sometime before the official start of winter) that brings out my nesting instincts and inspires me to want to cook comfort food for my family and friends. For almost a week now I've had the ingredients for a hearty and satisfying soup my mother swears by-- I'm thinking that tomorrow evening or Friday might be the day it actually gets made. But this afternoon I made applesauce.
And it, too, is hearty, satisfying, and best of all, super easy. I made it in the slow-cooker. Can't get any simpler that that, can it?

Here's what I did:

1) I cored and cut into chunks (with the peel on) approximately 3 lbs of apples. I used mostly the tried-and-true cooking apple, Granny Smith, with maybe five Galas thrown in for good measure and contrasting flavor.

2) After throwing the apples into my slow cooker, I mixed in a 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and one or two cinnamon sticks. You can use more, less, or no cinnamon sticks depending on your fondness or dislike for the spice. I happen to love it!!!

3) After turning the slow cooker onto the "high" setting, I went about my day and returned about 3 hours later when the apples were quite tender to the touch.

4) It took maybe an hour for the apples to cool down, after which I removed the cinnamon sticks and then used my totally cool immersion blender that my mom gave me last Christmas (if you don't have an immersion blender a food processor or potato masher will also work) to break down the peels and mash the apples a bit. The recipe I followed said at this point you can further sweeten the applesauce with another 1/2 cup of granulated sugar but I thought it was sweet enough without it.

Voila! Delicious, easy, and very autumn-celebrating homemade applesauce. The best part for me is knowing exactly what is in it (lots of delicious apples, some sugar, and cinammon) and what isn't (too much sugar and various ingredients with names I can't even pronounce).

Guess there's nothing left to do now except to enjoy the fruits of my labor!!

Mmmmmmmmm...

The King of Crabby

My paternal grandfather is a character. No one, but no one, can play the emotional extremes better. When he's happy, he's silly and borderline giddy. But when he's crabby, really there are no words.

Tonight he was crabby.

Weeks ago he'd invited me to dinner at a really nice restaurant. He often takes my mom, aunt, and a few close friends to nice restaurants, but rarely me. Usually when we go out together we go somewhere that serves pizza or great hamburgers (which I love), so I was really looking forward to tonight. That was my first mistake. I played it up too much in my head when I should've been noncommital.

When I arrived at his house to pick him up, the first words out of his mouth were, "I want you to know that I'm in a really bad mood but it has nothing to do with you."

Oh goody.

Apparently everything that could possibly go wrong for him today did go wrong, with a few extra surprises thrown in for good measure. I didn't ask for details because I've learned from past experience to avoid fanning the flames of an already over stoked fire. Believe me, his fire was already at the level of an inferno.

Dinner wasn't much of an improvement. The service was lousy, the food was mediocre, but I still enjoyed having time alone with my grandpa. In fact, one of the biggest blessings in my life has been getting to know him as well as I have. When my grandma was alive, her star shined so brightly that it practically blocked his out. He was around, but only in the outskirts of whatever we were doing. Since my grandma passed away eight years ago, I've made it a point to visit Grandpa every Sunday afternoon and my life has become so much richer for it. The good, the bad, and the ugly, for the most part I've cherished every moment I've been able to spend with him.

Including tonight.

Feeling Better

This afternoon's meeting with my career coach, "L", went better than I expected.

I went into the meeting with a full agenda, explaining exactly what I needed from her and asking what she could provide. She actually had some interesting suggestions about where I can look for ideas/what I need to do as far as research as well as how to reach out to people I know for help in this process. Still, I'm not 100% certain that "L" is the best person to help me through this transition process, and for this reason I have an appointment later this week with another career coach. It's always nice to have options, don't you think?

But back to today's meeting. Perhaps equally exciting as realizing "L" might have a clue after all is that I had the opportunity to address her yawning problem since it happened just five minutes into our meeting. Five freaking minutes into the meeting! She tried to wave it off but I wouldn't let it go. I was ready. I looked her straight in the eyes and asked, "What's up with that?" She said something like "I don't know what's wrong with me. It must be the time of the day." Whatever. I replied, "This is the third meeting in which you've yawned, and quite frankly it makes me think that I bore you. I also find it extremely offensive. If it really is just the time of day, perhaps a different time would suit you better." I don't think "L" is accustomed to people talking to her that way because she truly looked liked a deer in the headlights. She apologized several times for offending me, saying it wasn't her intention to do so, but as far as I was concerned there was nothing to discuss. It happened, and I put her on notice how I felt about it.

Our next meeting is scheduled for 10AM instead of the usual 2PM.

Coincidence? I think not.

It's Rough Out There

Well, I'm glad I brought a good book to the open house I hosted this afternoon because not one person showed up. Nada. Zip. A big goose egg. Even the token nosy neighbor-- who can usually be counted on to arrive just as the agent is trying to close up shop-- was disinterested. Yes sirree, the real estate market is in a rut like I haven't seen in quite a while. I sure picked a good time to switch career gears. If only I could figure out what that career should be.

I thought that hiring a career coach would help me to better navigate this process but at this juncture I still feel rudderless. I have two major concerns:

a) I'm not sure that "L" and I are a good fit personality-wise;
b) I'm not sure if "L" is truly as competent as I initially believed her to be.

For one thing, she is extremely laid back in her interaction with me at a time when I really need/want her to be enthusiastic. This is an extreme time for me: It is extremely exciting because I'm seeking a much-needed change and at the same time extremely scary because I'm currently (voluntarily) unemployed and need/want to go full speed ahead toward determining my true career passion. I need my career coach to be a cheerleader and a guide and right now I don't feel that "L" is fulfilling either role. She's also yawned during two of our six meetings. Yes, yawned. Really, there are no words to describe the rudeness factor when someone you're paying to help you yawns on your dime. If she does it again, we're going to part ways. Actually, we may part ways regardless.

I also question whether "L" is good at her job. I suspect she's not Internet-savvy, which I think is extremely odd in this day and age. When I told her I started a blog, I got the feeling that she misunderstood and thought I said "book". I couldn't tell by her expression whether she even knows what a blog is. What it comes down to is that so far I don't feel a connection with "L" and think that I should. Hopefully tomorrow's meeting will be more productive than last week's. If not, I've got some serious evaluating to do because the other local career coach I was referred to has a three-five month wait to schedule an appointment. And yes, I am on that list.

It's rough right now, but I just know that eventually I'll find a career of which I can be proud.

Gone with a Click of the Mouse

Curses! In an effort to clean up my blogger file, I accidentally deleted last night's post, "Deep Thoughts". As the title might suggest, it wasn't my most impressive offering, but it did represent a milestone in that it was my seventh consecutive entry. Considering I took a week and a half hiatus (or something close to it), I think seven consecutive posts is something about which to be proud. And I was, until my itchy trigger finger erased all evidence of lucky #7's existence. Please, just know in your hearts that I really did post seven entries in a row and for about 24 fleeting hours they could be accessed by all. Let this be a lesson to all: You've got to be pretty darn quick to keep up with me.

Not much to report on today. The most interesting event that occurred, I suppose, is that I held open my first property since offering my services to select, over-extended agents. Yeah for me and my enterprising spirit! This particular experience wasn't very exciting, though, because only three people came through in the three hours I had it open. Boring and lonely as it was to sit alone in an empty loft, I choose to focus on the positives: a) it isn't my listing; b) whether it sells soon or languishes on the market for months is of no personal concern to me; and c) I get paid whether one person shows up to see it or a hundred. Tomorrow afternoon I'm holding another property open for a different agent. It'd be great if I had a good turnout, but I'm not hopeful because it has been on the market since June (so it isn't "fresh" anymore) and there are so many other comparable homes for sale in the area.

I think I'll bring a good book.

Dog Tired

Can't think of any better way to describe the expression-- and the way I feel right now-- than this photo. In case you're wondering, it isn't staged. This is Luka's "deep sleep" pose which is typically accompanied by a LOT of snoring. I don't know how he sleeps through it because sometimes I can't. Guess when it happens he's dog tired. Like me. Right now.

Tomorrow's post will be much more engaging, though at the moment I haven't a clue about the topic.

Maybe it'll come to me in a dream.

I Rock and I Know It!!!

Since last I posted, I've completed the 12 hours of continuing ed required to keep my real estate license for another few years. And the best part is that I did a good part of it wearing my favorite jammies.

Man, I just love online "learning" !!!!

The courses were mind-numbingly boring-- reading about the anti-trust acts provokes a violent, physical reaction in me-- and I couldn't tell you one thing I learned, but I passed the required tests at the end of each unit and that's all that matters.

Is it obvious that I'm giddy and can barely see straight? Because I am giddy and can barely see straight. To celebrate I'm going to grab a spoonful-- maybe two-- of my beloved peanut butter, sit myself down on the sofa, and wait for a re-run of "Two and a Half Men" to start.

Yep, life is pretty good.

And I totally rock!!!!!!

So Not Impressed

Just because someone appears to walk the walk, talk the talk, and wear a tool belt does not, I repeat does not, a rehabber make. My friend's son has been proudly sporting a Home Depot tool belt since he learned to walk and he can barely hit a nail with a hammer. But then again, Max is only three.

I don't know what to say about the crew "working" on the house behind me.

I have no way of knowing what's going on inside, but in my estimation the group installing the deck off the back are the real-life versions of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber. I wish I had a time lapse camera to record all of the activity that goes on each day-- measuring, sawing, hammering, more measuring, moving boards from one part of the yard to another and back again-- and yet little, if any, visible progress has been made in quite some time. In fact, there's even been a little digression. The proof is in the photos: I took the first one on September 4th primarily because I thought the redneck sitting on the toilet was so hilarious; the second one is from this afternoon. The toilet is gone, thank goodness, but there have been few other improvements. I think the deck has been expanded outward into the yard and the concrete wall inexplicably located underneath part of the deck is inexplicably being painted tan (to match the color of the deck?) but in my estimation not much else has changed in over a month.

When Luka and I walked by the house this afternoon I noticed a "Coming Soon" sign in the window. Wonder if the crew working on the deck have seen it. I'm guessing they've been too busy herding cats to even notice. * Sigh*

Time to Get Serious

Well, folks, my two-month mental health break is officially over.

This afternoon I met with my career/life coach, "L", for the first time since ending my real estate career and she actually assigned some homework. Yep, I'm back in the saddle. Oh joy.

I'm in the "discovery" phase of my search during which I'm to brainstorm about types of industries as well as specific companies that might be of interest to me. I'm also to keep a log of any and all people I know who might be able to help with this process. To this end, "L" suggested that I consider whether any of my high school classmates could be of use. Truth be told, I'd prefer not to think of most of them at all. Isn't it enough that I survived my 20th reunion relatively unscathed and only a little bitter? Now I might have to ask some of them for help and with my luck it will be the ones who I'd really, really rather not.

Unfortunately, it is also an excellent suggestion. So I'll do it. Grudgingly.

Thank goodness I also have my real estate friends to fall back on, and if any one group of people is well-connected it is the REALTOR organization. Guess my 12 years in the business weren't for naught after all.

Let the fun begin.

It's Over

Whew!! Am I ever relieved to report my 20th high school reunion is over. It was one of those events that I'm happy I attended but am absolutely ecstatic that is behind me. What it boils down to is this: People don't change. Those that were kind, funny and down-to-earth in high school are kind, funny, and down-to-earth now but kicked up a notch as a result of having experienced the ups and downs that accompany becoming an adult. Conversely, those that were snobbish and close-minded as teenagers have had 20 years to perfect their technique and can now be considered experts.

If I sound disappointed and disillusioned, I guess I am. I was actually looking forward to seeing people I hadn't seen since graduation. Our class was small enough that I knew everyone in it by name and almost 60 percent attended this reunion. That's a pretty good number when you consider that many people have moved out of the area and had to carve out time to come back for this event. I was convinced that 20 years was long enough to let bygones be bygones and that the passage of time would have dissolved the cliques that existed. I was wrong. The first night had a better vibe to it than the second. As people arrived and worked their way through the maze of those who were already present, they tended to stop and chat with whoever crossed their path regardless of their past history. Though it was unbelievably hot and sticky outside (in October, no less!), the mood of the attendees was downright festive. For the most part people seemed genuinely excited to see one another again, sharing photos of their families and talking about where they live and what they're doing. My, what a difference 24 hours makes! The second night-- which was also incredibly hot and sticky-- the cliques were back. There was less chatting up of people who weren't part of your group in high school and more sticking with your own crowd.

Don't get me wrong: It wasn't all bad. I had a wonderful time reconnecting with people who were important to me back in the day but that I hadn't seen in decades, yet the re-appearance of the cliques made it feel more like high school and less like an opportunity to demonstrate how much we'd grown up in the past 20 years. And that's disappointing.

Allow me to introduce myself...

... yet again.

Despite the fact that two weeks ago I issued an apology for not keeping up with my blog and indicated that I was back on the wagon, I haven't blogged since. I know what you're thinking because I'm thinking it, too: Loser!!! I think what happened was that I realized just how far I'd strayed from the original intent of this blog-- to record my thought process while trying to determine my next career-- and wasn't sure how to right the ship. Apparently the two month sabbatical I took to decompress from my real estate career worked too well and my mind to mush. I'm pleased to report that as of Monday I'll have resumed working with my career coach. Yep, my break is over. I'd be lying, though, if I said I haven't had a ton of fun being a "lady of leisure". If possible I recommend that everyone do it at least once in their lives.

Here are some of the highlights of the past two weeks:

• My dog, Luka, has completely recovered from his bout of bronchitis. It is interesting to note that since the dog version of Robitussin didn't even come close to helping his constant cough, the vet prescribed generic Vicodin. Yes, that's the painkiller Vicodin that I've taken-- and LOVED-- after having a root canal. It knocks me out cold, but "only" acted as an effective cough suppressant for Luka for which I'm incredibly grateful.
• I've applied for a part-time job at one of the "big box" bookstores near my house. I'd rather work in a local, independent bookstore but the two in my city aren't hiring;
• I've become addicted to browsing iTunes, especially the glam rock/ hair bands that were so popular when I was in high school. Eventually I'll work up to buying songs and creating my own playlist or CD.
• In an effort to bring in a little more money and keep my toe in the real estate world, I came up with the brilliant idea to take advantage of the plethora of homes on the market and hire myself out to agents who need help covering open houses. After creating a simple announcement using Publisher, I emailed it to everyone in my company as well as 30 other agents I've worked with in the past. After getting lots of calls/ emails asking follow-up questions, I've already booked one open house for next Saturday and will most likely have another booked for Sunday. Hopefully more bookings will follow.
• Even though it is still 90 and humid as heck outside, I've decided the summer weather is no reason why I can't celebrate the current season of autumn inside my home. I've set out and used my favorite pumpkin scented candles, have the pretty walnut bowl on my dining room table filled with miniature gourds and pumpkins, and hung a fall wreath on the front door despite the fact that I still have four gigantic pots of impatiens (not mums) on my front porch. I just love autumn.
• I had my first ever Real Simple/ Martha Stewart moment: Instead of surrounding my pumpkin scented candles with the usual bits of colored glass, I surrounded them with acorns collected from my front yard. Acorns. How simple is that??
• I'm in the middle of my 20th high school reunion weekend. There was a party last night at the home of a former classmate and tonight we're having cocktails and dinner at a local landmark. Generally speaking the women have aged better than the men, yet so far I've enjoyed talking to the men more. Last night I believe I was the only woman from my class who isn't married (or divorced) and doesn't have children. I know there are a few others, but they weren't able to attend. Interesting. Wonder what tonight will be like, other than hot and sticky. Ugh!

I promise I won't fall off the blog wagon again. It's too embarrassing.